Woody Allen's comic pseudo-documentary about a fictional 1920s media sensation named Leonard Zelig (Allen), a human chameleon who develops the ability to takes on the... more
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Advantages: Funny & Clever Disadvantages: Very short with no features
Zelig - US - 1983 - 72mins
Starring: Woody Allen & Diane Keaton
Zelig is an early(ish) Woody Allen film. I’m not a big fan of Allen’s recent stuff but I like his earlier comedies such as Sleeper and Take The Money & Run. Set mainly in the 1930s this is a fantasy documentary about Leonard Zelig a human chameleon. Zelig has a peculiar talent for blending in with the people around him and because of this becomes a celebrity. The film is put together ... ...On the downside Zelig runs to only an hour and twelve minutes making it an extremely short film.
Soundtrack is in Mono. Film is English language with French, German, Italian & Spanish dubbing. It has French, Italian and German subs.
The only feature is the trailer for the film. There are no other features! This is not good value for money at all considering the extremely short length of the film. It would have been interesting to see a documentary ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Comedy classic Disadvantages: Old film; may not interest younger generation
...all of Woody Allen's films, Zelig is most probably one of the least popular with regards to its number of viewers in modern day society. However, Zelig is extremely funny using highly innovative and clever methods; a classic of Allens' in fact. Zelig was very ahead of it's time using blue screen tecnology, where Woody Allen would insert himself and other actors into actual documentary film taken from the 1930s/40s. This film, it seems, also gave ... ...uses similar tecniques, but instead with modern day digital technology. I would recommend everyone to watch this film as it is one of Allens' best and especially to anyone who studies cinema as it is very important with regards to the history of cinema, in particular comedy. The film is, as the film title suggest, about a man named Zelig, Leonard Zelig, who is referred to as " the human chameleon" and can change his appearance to that of the person ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Actor(s): Mia Farrow, Woody Allen, Michael Jeter, Mary Louise Wilson
Director(s): Woody Allen
Genre: Comedy
Classification: Parental Guidance
Production Year: 1983
Colour: Black & White / Colour
Running Time: 1 hour 16 minutes
Video Category: Feature Film
Plot: An inventive, and provocative mock documentary set in the 20s and 30s.
Release details
DVD Region: Region 2 (Europe)
Studio(s): MGM ENTERTAINMENT; CINRAM LOGISTICS
Release date: 19/08/2002
No of Discs: 1
Catalogue No: 22933 DVD
Barcode: 5050070008395
Screenwriter: Woody Allen
Composer: Woody Allen
Featured: Irving Howe, Saul Bellow, Susan Sontag
Producer: Woody Allen
Author: Woody Allen
Voice: Woody Allen
Comedian: Woody Allen
DVD Description
Woody Allen's comic pseudo-documentary about a fictional 1920s media sensation named Leonard Zelig (Allen), a human chameleon who develops the ability to takes on the characteristics of anyone he happens to be with at the time. A gentle jab at America's obsession with fame and celebrity, as well as a parody of the documentary form, ZELIG uses an updated version of the fake newsreel technique from CITIZEN KANE to depict its hero magically at the side of almost every major personality of the early 20th century, from Eugene O'Neill to Adolf Hitler. Enriched by "commentary" from a variety of contemporary intellectuals including Irving Howe, Susan Sontag, and Saul Bellow, the film traces Zelig's bizarre career as a tabloid hero and side-show freak who finds true compassion only in the arms of his psychiatrist, the renowned Dr. Eudora Fletcher (Mia Farrow).
